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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. can — a tin
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. row — a line
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bulb — for light
  14. band — a ring
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — a tin
  18. band — a music group
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. row — to paddle
  23. can — to be able to
  24. band — a rubber band

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com